Dark Duck 22: From This Angle
by VAPX007
Summary: A short pre-Christmas story. Moloculo discovers something new about Darkwing: he's now a vampire. Horrified at the double discovery of their engagement, Moloculo casts a spell so that Morgana can literally see Dark for what he really is. Now it's up to the people in his life to get Darkwing Duck back to his regular self again.
1. From This Angle

**_A Dark Duck Universal Singularity_**

_Disclaimer: Darkwing Duck and the idea of the perfect boyfriend all belong to Disney. (May he rest in peace.) _

_A/N: Long Live Fiction!_

* * *

It was a great room. Darkwing Duck saw it, and stopped in the corridor of the Macawber Family Castle, staring in through the open half of the double doors.

"Morgana." He held out his hand, and drew her inside. "Do you remember the last time we did this?" He took up her hands in a waltz position. She smiled down at him.

"A few weeks ago." He began dancing to unheard music, spinning her around in rhythmic circles, holding her close and warm in his arms. Then he froze, looking up at the doorway, Morgana still in his arms.

"Daddy?" Morgana struggled, and Darkwing stood her back up. She composed herself. "You know how I feel about Darkwing."

"But you neglected to mention this to me." He pointed. Darkwing looked around. The lights above began to burn brighter, in accordance to Moloculo's wishes.

"Oh. That ..." Morgana said with some trepidation.

Darkwing looked around him, and inwardly cursed. Oh. That. Indeed.

It was a great room, alright. With its walls of adorned mirrors, it showed an infinite number of Morgana's reflections. It was the best darn view Darkwing could wish for in mixed company. The only pesky thing of it was that it only showed Morgana and her father in infinite reflections. Darkwing remained obstinately singular in the centre of the room.

Morgana stepped between them, her fingers sparked. "Don't you dare harm my fiancé, father." Moloculo grimaced.

"When I said for you to find yourself a proper monster, I never meant to sink so low as a vampire."

"What's wrong with vampires?" Darkwing moved away from Morgana. If Moloculo wanted to hex him, Darkwing wanted to go down fighting. As it was, it was a bit dangerous in this room of mirrors; a hex could bounce and hit Morgana. "Perhaps we should take this conversation somewhere safer?" Darkwing commented on his troubling thought.

"Yes." Moloculo very quickly agreed, thinking exactly what Darkwing was thinking. Neither of them wanted Morgana to get hurt in the midst of their argument.

Darkwing walked in behind, seething. No matter what he was, he was pretty sure his to-be-father-in-law would never approve of him. He might as well be damned for just breathing. Three paces to the door of Moloculo's study, Morgana turned to Darkwing. "Wait here, Darling." She must have had some idea of his opinion on that, since she added, "It'll be alright, I'll talk him down." Darkwing nodded reluctantly.

"I'm just out here if you need me." He kissed her fingers.

* * *

"A vampire." Moloculo paced his study. Morgana sat on the edge of the recliner opposite his desk. Her father's room was always slightly more disorganised than the rest of the house, filled with charts and reference books that he was constantly reaching for.

"He wasn't a vampire when I first fell in love with him."  
"Yes, he was just some crazy duck in a cape and mask."  
"Oh, I get it. It's because he loves me. That's what makes him crazy." She stood up.  
"He doesn't appreciate your abilities. That's what I'm saying."  
"He accepts me for how I am." She rounded on him. "As a person." She folded her arms. "I'm an adult now, I have my own needs, and I have to look after myself. I'm no longer a little girl, desperately vying for her father's approval. Of course Dark doesn't care about spells, or cuisine or ... playing golf. It doesn't matter to him, because he loves me regardless."

"He told you this? After he became a vampire?" Morgana held up her hand, showing him her engagement ring. Moloculo stepped back in shock, trembling. "And you accepted this!"  
"I hardly see why you should be in such a fuss, father. You didn't want me marrying a normal, and now he isn't."

"This is not what I meant! Vampires are fallen ones. Ancient creatures, cast out by evolution that made a deal with the darkness to continue their existence in the physical realm." He looked squarely at her. "You know this."  
"I do. And as I recall from my studies, the creatures that once were, were brave and bold. The drawings of them are majestic. They were renowned in the mystical trade as keepers and guardians. If there was disorder and chaos, the witch folk would call such a creature forth to clear the mess."

"Yes. But they are fallen now." Moloculo snickered. "The ancient is unrecognisable in their hybrid offspring."  
"Curious, since I see it so clearly in Darkwing Duck." Morgana spun around and headed towards the door. "I saw it in his eyes the first time I met him. It's what drew me to him."  
"Did he neck you?" She looked back at her father for a long time, a slight tremble increasing in her hands.  
"I love you, father. I would like to bring my children to visit here. But I fear your temper may never improve, even for them." She twisted the handle of the door, and left the study. "Come, Dark, we'd best go now."

* * *

Darkwing didn't like the shade of white that Morgana had gone. He got her to sit on the lounge room sofa back at her chateau, and translocated to the kitchen with Archie in reluctant tow.  
"Help me out, here Archie. I want to make a simple cup of cocoa for Morgana." He listened as hard as he could to the familiar's unusual accented delta waves, and a few minutes later he had assembled a cup of herbal tea for Morgana instead. He shrugged. "Okay, Archie, you're the familiar, with all her habits." He scooped the trusty spider up onto his shoulder and reappeared in the lounge room.

Morgana was staring blankly into the opposite wall. This was like watching the Muddlefoots watching television, except Morgana was looking at a Salvador Dali painting, and the Muddlefoots were watching a test signal. "Here, Morgana." He said softly, nudging her thoughts back into reality. "Drink this." He pushed his mind against hers, and gently repeated the request. She took hold of the cup and took a sip.

"Mmm, thank you. I'm so sorry, I ..."  
"No, don't be. I honestly ... thinking about Gosalyn, in the same position, I'm scared I'll be just as stubborn as he is." Morgana blinked at him. "I guess I just need some way to prove to him that I'm honest and good enough." She shook her head.  
"You're different, Dark. Drake. To you, a man is what you make of yourself. To him, it's all about blood."

Darkwing snorted derisive. "And all the while, I thought I was the vampire." She laughed weakly. "You're all tensed up." He could sense the muscles knotted in her shoulders and he walked to the back of the lounge. He began massaging, concentrating on the tense muscles. She sounded in contentment.

"Feeling a bit better?" He said quietly in her ear. She leaned her head further back, exposing more of her neck. The scent of her blood came up strongly to him, and his mind went to mush. "Oh, Morgana." He felt compelled to trace the artery down her neck with his finger. Her chest rose and fell, her heart beating steadily.

His upbringing and sense of propriety snapped down like a shutter. He jumped back into reality. Standing over her like this was too close, knowing how greedy his was for her. How desperate to keep her, how needing to hold her. How lusting he was to have her. How glorious it was to simply touch her.  
"Dark, are you alright?"  
"Only if you are, snookums." He kissed her fingers. But she was far from alright.

"I think, perhaps you should go home. I'll be alright now." He drew back from her. A sudden incredible cold took possession of him.  
He came back around the chair. "Please, Morgana. Don't shut me out." He sat down next to her. "I can't protect you if I'm not here. And the argument with your father has worn you out, far more than you realise." He managed to hold back the next sentence, which threatened to spill out and upset her even worse. "Let me keep a watch for you. Just for a day."

Surely, in 24 hours, Moloculo's temper would be down to a simmer, and Morgana's personal defenses would be back up to full strength. "Now," he said in more of a fatherly tone than he would have liked, "you need some sleep. I'll go check the house is secured, and you get ready for bed." She looked at him with tired bemusement.  
"Oh, alright, Dark. If ... if you think it is best ..."  
"Don't push me out, Morg." He pleaded. The reluctance in her mind came off the delta waves, inspiring an ugly fear in him.

"No, I, I just need some time to deal with this." Relief flooded through him.  
"That's what I'm here for. So you don't always have to be so brave on your own." He crossed his arms. "I know you're hurt, and all you want right now is ... is to cry?" So this was the reason she was trying to shut him out? And it was truly the last thing he wanted to see. Solutions at the moment were irrelevant to her; it was the emotions themselves that were the problem. He sat closer to her, gently pulling her against him into an embrace that required no further words on his part.

* * *

Despite his misgivings, Darkwing Duck had to give Morgana due credit. The protection spells on her chateau were very complete. He turned around from the window that snapped itself closed the instant he drew near it. He didn't have to move a single vesper!

The flutter of tiny wings made him turn. 'Eek, Squeak?' he sent the message along the delta waves. 'How is she?'  
'Mistress is okay. But ...'  
'Not good.'  
He sighed. 'I know, I sense it too.' He turned away from them, reviewing the now locked window.  
'Don't go.' The bats circled his head in worry.  
'I'm not! I won't leave her; I know it's too dangerous with Moloculo in that temper out there.'

* * *

Moloculo looked about the room. His daughter always believed in those silly protection charms. He reviewed the room. She was alone.  
"Morgana, I am sorry to do this." He raised his hand and a high pitched screeching came out of the closet. Morgana's eyes flew open.

"Eek, Squeak!" Bat wings flapped around his head fast and furious. The spell in his mind lost power as he tried to get out of swooping range. In one last act of desperation, he flung a freeze hex at the flurry of bat. With a thunk, they crashed to the floor. Morgana screamed. Moloculo turned around back to her.  
"For your own good, Morgana."

"She doesn't want 'good', Moloculo." Darkwing's voice? Moloculo turned. "She wants me." Moloculo raised his hand. "Go ahead. The freeze one didn't stop me for very long." There was a tiny fluttering overhead, and Eek and Squeak dove into the room and hid in Morgana's hairdo.  
"Oh, you're alright." She let out an exhausted sob of relief that her familiars had not been hexed.  
"This is your doing." Darkwing Duck pointed at her harried state.

"Morgana is coming back with me. I know vampires. I can defeat you easily."  
"So you will take your daughter's freedom to choose? Take her spirit? I make no ambit claim. I will protect her, and I can protect her from you, if you force me."  
"You're only a vampire."  
"At me. Cast a spell. Throw a spell. Any hex you can think of. I'll give you a moment to think of a real zinger."  
"Dark, no."  
"When I'm at work, I play it soft. I play even. It's just a game to me. Win or lose, come on, Moloculo. Get all that anger off your chest. Throw it at me. Maybe that will solve the problem." Moloculo's mind was turning quickly, looking for the perfect spell.

"Father, if you kill him, I won't ever speak to you again."  
"You see, where you're standing physically has nothing to do with where you actually stand, Moloculo."  
"You've drunk her blood."  
Darkwing licked his beak. "She's mine, Moloculo. Give in to the obvious. Admit defeat to the facts."  
"No, no. You're lying."  
"Lying!" Darkwing's eyes glimmered hotly. He spat the word out as if he was angry, but his voice was too quiet. He closed his eyes. "Go away, Moloculo. I don't want to hurt you, and this is becoming quite dangerous for you. You're Morgana's father; I don't want to harm you."

* * *

"You see, what sort of creature he is, Morgana?" Moloculo looked her in the eyes, and found not a trace of attention; she only had eyes for the vampire. He repeated. "Morgana!" She looked up at him this time. "Fine, let me show you!" He turned, and flung the one and only spell he could think of that could possibly snap her away from Darkwing. "I'll see how long you go like this!" He cast a return portal and left the room.


	2. Reverse Angles

_A/N: I said it was finished. Now it's undone. _

_A/N: I hereby rudely present you with an unresolved formatting mystery. I have not explained anywhere in this skit the answer to the question: 'What's with all the italics and double spacing?' This is a very short episode, void of explanation. _

_1. Realistically, if I didn't work out of .TXT, my computer would not fit all my writing, and my _Ywriter _software uses .TXT anyway. In the world of .TXT there's no such thing as Italics. Therefore I look for perfect words to instill the emphasis (instead of using 'very' all the time). _

_So now you know where I am coming from:_

_2. On this site I use Italics for a) Author's notes, b) Captain's logs, c) Other time gauges embedded solely for the readers' benefits, d) Dream sequences e) Proper names f) Direct quote references g) Any other non-interactive sequences not covered by points a) to d). _

* * *

**Reversed Angles**

Darkwing started awake.

_He cast about the room. No Moloculo; and Morgana was still here. That was excellent news. He checked his senses for Morgana's familiars; all three of them were also intact. He pushed his mind further out, yes, Gosalyn, Launchpad, the Muddlefoots ... With each conclusion, his mind grew steady. He returned his attention back to the room. _

_He stepped towards Morgana, before he realised he was on four feet. He had called out her name, before he found he could no longer speak. _

_

* * *

_

Morgana's heart rate grew faster.

"Drake?" He looked down at his clawed hands. He shook a set of folded wings and his beak was now a snout. "Drake?" Morgana repeated.

_'Usually he only half transfigures me.' He sent her his thoughts. 'I actually expected him to just give me a death curse.'_

"Ooh. He's trying to break us. I'm so angry at him." That made Darkwing shiver, and he moved forwards to her again. He took her fingers in his clawed hand.

_'You still have my ring, so that plan would hardly work.'_

He nuzzled her fingers.

_'I've never told you how you smell so wonderfully of sugar and spice.'_

A purring sound rose in the back of his throat.

* * *

She pulled her fingers away, and he looked up into her eyes.

_'Morgana.'_

He drew his claws around her bodice.

_'Oh, I could hold you in my arms, always.'_

He ruffled his leathery wings energetically. Her hands made a steady contact on his chest.

_A small spark of electricity jumped through the contact, energizing him._

"Drake, D-do you feel ... a bit ... strange?" She felt herself quivering as he nuzzled her cheek. He lowered his head further, inhaling deeply.

_Aside from the last several hours, she was a pillar of health. A little more rest and some good breakfast, she'd be perfectly well again. He was glad that she was his mate. _


	3. A Single Angle

**A Single Angle**

* * *

Morgana woke up to find Darkwing curled up, stirring on the floor beside her bed.

He shook his wings slightly as though stretching. Like an animal he padded to the window. Raising himself up to a stand like normal, he drew back the curtains. Light spilled into the room, but he was healthy and it didn't bother him.

Long wings folded again and again, long muscular limbs covered in almost entirely black fur to keep warm. His snout hid a mouthful of razor teeth and his long pointed ears did not hide his ability to hear distant sounds distinctly. This reminded her that he also wasn't just able to hear her heart. He was always listening to her heart, and that had been what woke him up.  
"What sharp claws you have." She murmured. He looked at his hands, ending in gripping claws. He seemed to understand her for a moment, but, just like last night, she couldn't find his mental pattern to go with the response.

Then he came forwards, reaching out for her. He took her fingers and nuzzled them.  
"Oh, Drake." The action was so simple, but yet so provocative with the sound of his purring.

He released her fingers and she drew her hand back. He turned from her and reviewed the doorway. Folding his wings tightly against him he got through it, leaving her alone for the moment. She stood up, closing the door after him. She leaned against the wood, closing her eyes.

Morgana felt poorly for her fight with her father, if it hadn't been for that ... she quivered, acknowledging the powerful vampire mentality in her fiancé. Her father's hex had buried Drake Mallard, and this was what was left on the surface. The ancient. Gargoyle, dragon, bunyip. Keepers of water, of air, or fire ... or peace. Elemental and completely animal. Doomed to extinction. Determined to survive, they'd joined symbiotically with the Vespers and become ... vampires.

She looked down at the ring on her finger.

Those moments as he'd proposed, she had felt this creature stirring within Drake Mallard. The vampire and the duck, when she'd accepted the ring, she'd accepted this creature's claim on her. The experience when he'd finally slipped the ring on her finger was energizing. The Vespers in the darkness around them had almost been tangible. Perhaps her fancy, but the night had been singing for them.

Eek and Squeak fluttered about her, coaxing her to get herself freshened up.

* * *

Morgana came down the stairs and Darkwing ushered her to the table. Breakfast was set out, in front of her chair. He gazed at her intently. She searched beyond the darkness, looking as far in as she could in that moment. "Drake?" Then he blinked and moved around to the back of her, helping her into the chair, somewhat excessive attention, even for him.

He stood over her for a moment. Incredible, how such a towering beast could hide within a duck so small. "Why are you fussing so much, Drake? I'm fine, it's you ..."

A disapproving snort and he moved off, leaving her alone in the room. She picked up the spoon.

* * *

After breakfast, she found him in the lounge room, folding and unfolding his wings, looking out the window. She reached her mind out again and found only animal instinct. "Drake?" He turned to her.

He issued a trilling sound and bounded forwards. She gasped as he took her breathlessly close into his arms. He pressed his clawed fingers firmly into the small of her back bringing her tight against him, and then rubbed them slowly up and down her back. Her feathers were curling and she struggled for a breath from the wave of lust he had also provoked within her.

"Drake, we need to ..." He was gently rubbing his head against her cheek.

She pulled away from him. "This is not the time." She struggled for her own composure. "We need to get you back to normal." She turned away from him. "Come, Drake." Resolutely, she made her way upstairs to her spell room. Resolute, she could do, so long as she didn't look at him again.

The book's pages flicked in line with her thoughts. Morgana looked up after a moment. "You can't go outside, Drake." She watched him gazing out the windows, fluttering his wings, the same as he had done downstairs. He let out an unfortunate whimper.

Then it occurred to her what his problem really was. "Gosalyn? It's her, isn't it?" He turned his head to Morgana. "Oh, Drake, I'm so sorry, you missed breakfast with her." He stepped away from the window and sank down to all fours. "Well, the sooner we can get this sorted the better." She raised her hand, counter spell in mind.

* * *

It was perhaps an hour later when Morgana sat down on the chair. She closed her eyes and took a moment to relax. Tension would only decrease the accuracy of her spell castings.

Behind her, she felt him approach. His clawed fingers rested on her shoulders, gently kneaded the aches out. She leaned into the massage, and she felt the tips of his claws tracing the line of her arteries.

"Drake." He turned about the chair and put a finger against her beak, gazing into her eyes. "Drake, I don't understand what you're trying to tell me ..." His reaction to her statement was instant. His fingers gripped the chair behind her shoulders tensely as he looked down at her. "Drake! I'm sorry, Drake ..." She saw the muscles in his arms relax, again with her words, and, as if he'd promptly forgotten the issue between them, he rubbed his cheek against hers again. Then he took her wrist and tugged her out of the chair to stand in front of him.

He gazed at her for a moment, hesitating for the briefest time. Then he advanced again, taking her wrist, he drew it up to his mouth. Gently, he traced his claws up her arm, to her neck. With a finger, he turned her head to the side.

Her body trembled as he traced the line of her artery back down to her heart. He purred appreciatively in her ear and pulled her closer. Another surge of lust originated from within her.

"Whenever you're close to me ..." She gazed up into the darkness of his eyes. There was a glimmer of blue hidden deep within. "I feel I can achieve so much more." Even now, her worries of a few minutes ago drifted away as she held tightly back to him. "I love you, Drake." She said, closing her eyes, accepting the sheer sensation as he wrapped his arms around her.


	4. Tri Angle

**Tri Angle**

* * *

It was the afternoon, and her father was still at Morgana's place. This told Gosalyn that something had gone wrong with their visit to Transylvania.

Every metre along the wrought iron fence line, a small bird house hung. In each of these, Morgana had laid out tiny food morsels. This was Morgana's very literal interpretation of the term 'fairy light decorations'. Gosalyn didn't see many glowing fairies but maybe if she waited till dusk, they might show up.

Gosalyn, bundled up in a scarf and jacket, got off her skateboard. The clunky effect of the winter boots on her feet drew her attention to the normally automatic motion of tipping the board up to grab hold of it.

The iron gate to Morgana's home had a wreath on it. Morgana was definitely working hard to enter into the spirit of the Christmas season this year. But today, over the wreath a large white plastic sign hung which said 'Closed, will reopen: Friday. Sorry for the inconvenience.'  
"Okay. Should I be alarmed now?"

Gosalyn pushed on the gate with all her might and it gave, letting her pass narrowly through. It shut quickly behind her and she eyed it. "Well, it sure looks like someone doesn't need any more greasing for a while." She turned back to the house, and two glaring garden gnomes confronted her. She glared back at them. "I'm just after my dad."

Up the path Gosalyn went and knocked on the door. Quite different from the rest of Morgana's defense charms, the door creaked open. "Dad?" She called out, edging herself further inside. "Morgana?" The door gently shut behind her as she continued to peer into the unusually dark place, removing her bulky jacket at the same time.

A low purring reached her ears from nearby and she turned towards it.

It was an entire moment later when she heard Morgana's voice in the distance upstairs somewhere. "Gosalyn?"

* * *

Gosalyn stared at the fierce blue-flecked eyes staring back at her. A clawed hand took her arm and gently drew her closer. There was a rustle, and she felt herself enveloped from the room as the creature took her up, further into its furry arms. It purred. "Dad."

"Gosalyn, are you there?" Morgana was closer now. She squawked, "Drake! Put her down!" There was a great reluctance as her father put her down onto the floor. "Oh, Gosalyn, I'm so sorry about this. I was too late in remembering to call you this morning. You'd already gone to school."

"I'm alright." Gosalyn felt forwards in the dark and found her father's arm to hold onto. "I could do with a bit more light please, if it's possible."

"Drake? Bring back some of the light for Gosalyn." Gosalyn blinked as the lights on the roof began to glow a little, lighting up the room enough for Gosalyn so she would no longer stumble. Now she could see that she had latched onto was exactly what her mind had conjured. Complete with leathery wings and sharp glistening teeth.

"Oh, dad." She quaked. She understood why he hadn't returned from Morgana's house like this. Like this, he couldn't even return to Darkwing Tower without the cover of night.  
"He can't talk." Morgana told her. "I get the same psychological impressions from him, but other than that, it's really hard to tell what he's trying to say." Gosalyn sobbed and hugged her father.

"I'm sorry, Gosalyn. I've been trying all day to counter spell it. Father did a very good job on this one; he really meant it." Morgana's voice broke.  
"But what's he gonna do? I don't mind him like this, but what about poor dad?" Gosalyn pulled away. "If you can't fix it, I'll see about finding someone that can." Gosalyn, jacket in hand, grabbed the door handle and pulled open the door.  
"Gosalyn, no!" Morgana pleaded as the girl shut the door behind her.

"Drake, you know how dangerous it is, why didn't you stop her from opening the door?" He replied back with a sound of incredulity. "What is that supposed to mean?" She worked to translate the emotional impression, "Do you mean: 'As if I could stop her?' Well ..." Morgana realised something. "I'm reasonably certain my father never had the thought in his life that there might be someone beyond his control." Darkwing cocked his head and made a gesture with his hands but then he just sighed. "You're thinking of something ... ah, I know, have you got a plan?"

He nodded enthusiastically. Then he straightened up to his very full height and grasped her in his arms.  
"You're impossible sometimes, Drake." She said as he purred.


	5. Hypotenuse

**Hypotenuse**

* * *

Everywhere shoppers hurried, congregating in front of discount stalls and generally creating havoc for a skateboarder. Gosalyn finally got to the place she needed to be.

This was the St Canard offices of Hamil Corporation.

Gosalyn stepped off her skateboard in front of the massive tall building. It'd been months since she'd been here last. "Well, here goes nothing." She took a deep breath and barged through the large glass door.

A giant, cone shaped skeleton stood on the left hand side of the foyer and was decorated in mock of a real Christmas tree. But instead of baubles, pine cones were hanging up on it. The place smelt overpoweringly of pine needles. She looked down. In her boots she was walking along a mat that stretched from the door to the desk like a boardwalk. On either side was a thick layering of pine needles which gave the large foyer the feel of a woodland forest. Tinsel was the only shiny decoration in the room and adorned the walls and the front of the reception desk. She approached the man behind the counter.

Her dad was on the payroll as Drake Mallard. Gosalyn knew that. She knew a few names and she'd been given a tour of the place once, so she knew the general gist of it all.

"Name?"  
"Drake Mallard."  
"No, what's your name, Miss?" Gosalyn tapped her foot.  
"I'm not even eleven years old; I don't think I'm old enough to be on your payroll yet, so there's no point in giving you that."

"You will have to give me your name, Miss."  
"Gosalyn Mallard."  
"Drake Mallard is not in office."  
"I know that! I just left him."  
"Oh? And what brings you here?"  
"I need to speak with someone who I know. Can I speak to Doctor Anatra or Eider from security? Or Master Juck? He'd be good. Please."

The receptionist paused in his chair. "You're obviously very frustrated, miss. I will find someone to help you."  
"Thank you." She began pacing.  
"If you care to take a seat ..."  
"No, thanks."  
"Please take a seat, miss. Nothing good will come of wearing yourself out." Grumbling, she took the stern advice.

* * *

"Hi, I'm Naomi O'Dent, Gosalyn. Won't you come with me, and I'll see what I can do to help you."

A woman she'd never met before ushered Gosalyn to the lift, and hustled her into a room, issuing words of consolation about resolving the problem. Naomi first closed the external door, and then the internal one.

"Now, tell me all about it, Miss Mallard. This is an entirely confidential discussion." Gosalyn's ears were buzzing in the silent room.  
"My father has been hexed very badly."

Naomi sat down and picked up a pen. "A hex? You mean someone has cast a spell on him?"  
"Yes."  
"Okay, what makes you believe this?"  
Gosalyn blinked at her in disbelief. "He has a mouth full of razor sharp teeth that could bite your head off."  
"Hmm." The woman made notes on her papers.  
"He has sharp claws and he can't talk. Morgana said it was a spell."

"Who is this Morgana character?"  
"My father's fiancé."  
"Very interesting. How long have you had this image in your mind?"  
Gosalyn blinked. "I beg your pardon?"  
"The werewolf."  
Gosalyn hesitated. "I didn't say that. He's not a wolf. He's still dexterous; wolves don't hug. Well, I didn't think so, anyway."

"Miss Gosalyn, do you agree that this is a very serious matter?"  
"Yes, it is very, very serious, it's a catastrophe!"  
"Oh, no, don't say that; I'm sure we can help you." The woman consoled Gosalyn. "Just tell me; how long has this been going on?"  
"I dunno; he was fine before he went off to visit Morgana last night." 'What's she doing writing notes?' The question occurred to Gosalyn, and she had a creeping suspicion.  
"Hmm, Morgana again. I don't think this woman is a good influence on you." The woman toyed with her pen.  
"Well, I don't blame her, her father did it. Obviously, he got angry and hexed my dad."

"Now, now, I don't think we should start blaming others."  
Gosalyn gaped at the woman. "... You think ... I ... did it?"  
"No, of course not, but you have to realise that you are making assumptions created from your own panic stricken mind over this new woman in your father's life. Your anxiety is acting out, creating this beast that you think you saw."  
"How the heck could I have turned my dad into a six foot tall ... I wasn't even there! Dad wasn't home, I went to find him! Why would I ..." Gosalyn sobbed.

"You love your father, don't you, Gosalyn?"  
"Yes!"  
"Then surely you can find it within you to trust his decisions for himself, accept the way things are."  
"No! I love him, I need to help him."  
"Okay! Maybe this Morgana person isn't what you imagined your father would find, maybe she is the wrong person for him. But don't you think it's up to them to make that judgment?"

"Judgment?" Gosalyn came to a shocking conclusion. "I've got to go now." Irate for losing so much time in this fiasco, Gosalyn jumped off the chair and tugged at the door handle. "You haven't been listening to a word I've been saying. Goodbye." She opened the other door and shut it on the bizarre Naomi O'Dent.

* * *

Gosalyn rubbed her forehead and went to look at the sign on the level's reception desk. Naomi had crowded her so much, only now did she have a chance to read the list of services on the floor.

"'Dr. Grisham & Dr. O'Dent Practical Psychology'?" She read aloud. "I can't believe it!" She urgently needed to help her dad, and the man downstairs had sent her to a shrink subsidiary! In her boots Gosalyn stomped to the elevator and pressed the button. It opened and she stepped in. Now she was confronted with a whole bunch of floor options and didn't know what was on any of them. "That's okay, I'm sure security can find me, then I can talk to Eider." She pressed a high number. "Let's start at the top."

* * *

"Well, I'm glad these interim figures have improved." Malduck sat across the boardroom table from Rattray as on the large computer screen displayed numbers in columns spaced out across the screen. "Well done."

"There are still large expenses in some of the departments." He pointed to the security department column.

"Our aim is to increase efficiency and therefore improve the margin overall." Malduck countered calmly. "Just because it is large, doesn't mean that it is unusual or unnecessary. Large can be the wages account for the U.S. Military Corps, and you wouldn't call that unusual or unnecessary."

The intercom beeped. "Security here, we've got an envy intruder on level twenty." Malduck looked around.  
"Identity?"  
"No identity yet. A child. Envy. I repeat, en-vie. Approach her with extreme caution."

* * *

"Why aren't they coming?" Gosalyn was sick of corridors; the lack of success was wrecking her nerves. If she couldn't find someone to help her father, he might be stuck in that shape forever! She opened a door to another empty room. "Do I have to commit a crime to get picked up?" It didn't make sense. The last time she was here, she and her father had been surrounded by ... "The X levels." Now her overtaxed mind remembered. "They don't like people going down there." She turned around, "oh, great ..." tears sprang into her eyes ... "now which way did I come?"

"Can I help you, miss? You look a little lost." Gosalyn jumped, spinning around on the spot to see the rat standing in the doorway nearby. He had a very neat corporate suit on, the kind that would never fit her dad. Clearly this person was just an office worker.  
"Yes, sir. I'm looking for a security guard."  
"Any particular reason?"  
'Any particular reason?' It wasn't so much the words as the concern-filled voice. That same imitation maple syrup Naomi O'Dent had been pouring out. "Oh, no; not you too!" Gosalyn moaned. "All that psycho mumble jumble! I'm not crazy; please stop treating me like I am. Please!" She begged, at wits end.  
"I'm sure you can appreciate it from my point of view, miss, I know next to nothing about your situation."

"Can you help me, sir?" She tamped down her personal fears and fury. "Please. All I need is a security guard." 'They'll take me seriously; they'll believe me and do something about it.'  
"Well, can I say who they'll be talking to at least?"  
'Oh no.' Gosalyn took another deep breath, 'don't panic' she told herself, but it was too late for that advice when she'd been in panic mode since she'd stepped out of Morgana's place. "I'm not crazy!"

* * *

She glared at him. "I'm just a little stressed out. I know the difference between reality and fiction. And I really like Morgana; I know she'd never do something so terrible to dad. And I didn't do it myself because my math's grades are too low to cast proper hexes like that."

"There's no such thing as hexes."  
"No? What about vampires? What about Ergowth, huh? Let me talk to Master Juck then, he'll understand."  
"There's no Master Juck here."  
"Oh, that's right, no such thing as Necromancy either." She turned on her heel just like she'd done with the psychologist. "Goodbye."

"Wait." A woman's voice. It sounded familiar ... "Bring her in here, Ron." Ron stepped away from the door frame and Gosalyn went into the room, frowning.

* * *

"Alright, tell me why everyone thinks you're crazy, miss." Gosalyn felt her heart rate slow down almost to a normal speed as she stared at the silent faces in the room. Amazingly, stepping into a room full of vampires lowered her stress levels. This was something she could deal with, or was it a distraction? She wasn't quite sure.

"My father's been hexed."  
"A hex? You mean a spell?" Gosalyn looked at this woman sitting at the head of the table, her chair swiveled to face Gosalyn. She looked familiar, but Gosalyn wasn't remembering things very well at the moment.  
"Yes."  
"Okay. What makes you believe this?"  
Gosalyn blinked at the familiar woman in disbelief. Her next words didn't come out. She felt her face going red again.

"This is madness. I thought vampires would understand! It turns out you're just as stupid as everyone else. To look at me, and tell me you don't believe in witches, that no one could possibly turn my father into ..." She hesitated. "No, you wouldn't believe that either."

"Could you describe his symptoms?"  
"Symptoms? Sure. Okay." Gosalyn took a breath, weighing up the 'side' effects of being turned into a creature. "He can't talk. Morgana can't even be sure if his mind is still working properly."  
"Now, I think this Morgana might be exaggerating a little."  
"She wasn't exaggerating. She said she didn't know."  
"Well. A mind can be a quiet thing." The woman who was talking to Gosalyn pressed her finger tips together in study. "What did you observe?"

Gosalyn blinked, this sounded a bit more like it might be heading in a constructive direction. "I ... well, he seems to understand things. He recognised me, and when Morgana asked him to turn on the lights, he did."  
"Well, then is it really so serious?"  
"Yes, it is still very serious, it's still a catastrophe! It's winter holidays now, but don't you think it'll cause some suspicion down at the child protection agency with my father mysteriously absent? For ... like ... ever? What about Christmas? What about parent teacher interviews? What about my poor dad?" She choked down another sob.

"Oh, no. I'm sure we can help you." The woman consoled Gosalyn. "When did this happen?"  
"Last night, they were going to see Morgana's father."  
"Hmm, Morgana again..."  
"There's nothing wrong with Morgana! She's a nice person; I'd like her to be my mother."

"So you think her father did this?"  
"I did not imagine this!" Gosalyn repeated yet again. "Tell me; if a wolf-bear hugged you, would you question yourself on whether you'd dreamt it or not?"  
"Someone turned her father into a bear?" One of the people in the room remarked with some surprise.  
"Yes, a bear." Gosalyn replied, finally feeling some relief to be getting through at last. "A really skinny bear with a few more teeth ... oh, and wings. Like a bat-wolf-bear."

* * *

The woman that had been interviewing Gosalyn jumped up to a stand. "It's a reversing spell. Some very spiteful magician has cast a reversing spell!" The woman growled.

"I think it was Morgana's father, that's what she was saying, she said she couldn't counter spell it."  
"Counter spell? Your father's in love with a witch?"  
"Don't tell me you have a problem with that, because they're really good together."  
"We don't have these problems, it is they."

"Pfft, yeah right; like I haven't heard that one before."

"Young lady!" The woman spoke with such authority that Gosalyn felt compelled to behave herself despite her mental breakdown. "It is quite true. You are looking at the genetic fragments of an extinct species. Modern day vampires are naturally hybrids. There are very few vampires that are pure blooded, and they are typically the elder ones."

The woman looked away from Gosalyn. "In time, the elders will reach their age and fade. Eventually all will be hybrid. There will be no Ancients but in books, in fairy tales and folk lore. There will be no well keepers, no tide bringers, no river runners, and no cloud gatherers. Our species is now hybrid. All things fade in time."

"Like a voice, echoing in the darkness." The rat said, still standing in the doorway. "It creates a ripple effect on the emotions of the listener."

Gosalyn sobbed at this. "I wanna hear my dad's voice again." Somehow, life just wasn't safe without it.

* * *

All eyes turned away from Gosalyn in a moment as something swooped past the window.  
"Did you see that?"  
"Gosh, what was that?"

"A reversal spell." The woman that Gosalyn vaguely remembered replied calmly. Outside there was a ripping screech. It was close by, as if coming from just above their heads. Clearly the swooping thing had perched on the top of the building.

"Aggressive, isn't he?"  
"More arrogant, if you ask me."

The woman turned her head slowly back to Gosalyn, recognition dawning on her face. "You're Gosalyn Mallard."  
"Yes, I am."  
"You've grown. I didn't recognise you."  
"That's okay, I still don't recognise you."  
"I am Malduck."  
"Oh!" Now Gosalyn remembered this woman. "I'm sorry; I usually have a good memory for people."

Malduck's smile was quiet. "I try to let people forget me." She held out her hand. "Let me help your father." Gosalyn breathed in relief and took her offered hand.


	6. Disent Angle

**Disent Angle**

* * *

Gosalyn blinked, Darkwing Tower?

"You took that out of my head!"

"It's not as if I haven't shown him my lair." The woman said, gazing about. "Quite nice. With computers." She walked across the space, Gosalyn was horrified. "Oh, one of these noisy things." She looked distrustful of the rat-catcher. "And one of those air travel things. How odd to have such things."

"Uh ... hello?" Launchpad appeared from behind the machine, an oil rag in his fingers. He jumped back on the sight of Malduck. "Yipes!" He cowered.  
"Oh, don't mind me, my friend." Malduck waved him off and turned around. In the open space her black cape made a great sweeping motion.

* * *

"Ah, books, now that's much better." Once again, Gosalyn was helplessly chasing after the woman. "When I was little, my father would read to me, showing me the letters and the words, making sense jumping off the page with his voice."  
"You're not one of those well keepers then?"  
"I'm not quite that old, sweetness." Malduck looked up. "Sure enough, he comes to you. Come, Guardian of St Canard."

"You didn't recognise me at all, did you?"  
"No. As you grow, your heart beats change. But his voice ... I recognise his voice."

* * *

Morgana stood on the pathway to her house, looking out into the city skies.

"I must think where he might go." Eek and Squeak fluttered about her, chirruping. "Oh, do you think so?" She turned her head towards the direction of the Audubon Bay Bridge. "Then so will I."

* * *

Darkwing landed on the window sill, looking down at them.

"Dad." He jumped down, landing beside Gosalyn on all fours, his wings half folded, gazing at her with those blue flecked eyes. He took her arm and brought her towards him, his wings unfolded and wrapped around her as he embraced her. He purred. After a long while, he let her go.

She sighed. "I love you too, dad."

"Jeepers, what happened to you, DW?" Launchpad ventured to stand near Malduck.  
"It's a reversal spell." Malduck replied. "Imagine if your mother gave you short genes but your father gave you tall genes. Say then you grow up to be tall. Then someone casts a reversal spell on you and you become short. Physical vampire genes are recessed because survival depends on us fitting in with the non vampire population."

"Can you fly?" Launchpad's eyes glittered in his fancy. Darkwing looked at him, stretching out his wings. They were extensive with four lengths each. "Oh, golly. I would love to be able to fly like that!" He looked at Malduck. "He can fly, right?"

"Don't ask him to carry much, however. It's females that are better built for long hauls. Let's see this one through."

Darkwing made a sound, short sharp as Gosalyn made room between them.  
"Hex be damned. If I can turn myself inside out, I can turn you outside out!" She advanced on him and drew her fingers against his face. "Relax, let go. Your daughter is with you."

Malduck turned her head to Gosalyn after her initial analysis. "This will take some time to work through. But the spell itself is fleeting, eventually, we can overthrow it and then it will break entirely."  
"Might as well get comfortable then?"  
"Agreed."

* * *

Gosalyn was dozing in the chair as Launchpad watched them blankly.

Morgana woke her up. "Who's that, Gosalyn?"  
"Malduck."  
"You did something very dangerous finding her."  
"I've got to look after my dad."  
"You did a good job."

"It was very hard. I wasn't thinking straight." Morgana tightened her hold on Gosalyn's arm.  
"I know. That's why I tried to stop you. You're so much like your father, but you are very inexperienced."  
"Yeah, I know."

Gosalyn opened her eyes wider, "It's working!" Malduck pulled away from Darkwing, he began to phase into shadow. Half phased, his form began to return. "Darkwing Duck!" Gosalyn cheered.

* * *

"How do you feel, Darkwing?" Malduck said kindly.

"Anti-climaxed." He put his hand against his chest. "I ... I thought it was a curse. All this time, I thought I was cursed."  
"Now you understand?"  
He nodded. "Thank you, Malduck."

She stopped from turning away. "It's still a curse."  
"Just a tragic one. Not malevolent."  
"You surprise me to be so positive."  
"Really, while I'm surrounded by my family?"

She looked at Morgana, Launchpad and Gosalyn behind the desk next to them. She smiled. "Yes, you are right. Of course."

Then she frowned. "Rattray doesn't like you. Why is that?"  
"Probably because I'm watching out for the Velcro every time we talk."  
"Ah." She nodded, "that would most certainly do it. Merry Christmas, by the way. It is that time of year." She turned into a bat, and with a small shriek, she flew out the window.

* * *

_Moral/Overview: Don't let anything stop you from having a happy Christmas break either!_


	7. Quadr Angle

**Quadr Angle**

* * *

"Morgana ..." Darkwing, the first time in a long while stumbled over his words. "I'm sorry if I ... if that was ... a bit distressing. I feel somewhat ... uncivilised."

"Oh, no concern at all." She brushed the matter away with her hand. "I know you love me, Dark."

"You called me Drake. All that while, you called me Drake."  
"Well, I knew you were in there somewhere."  
"Well, I'd ... better go to bed." Gosalyn dashed around the table, heading for the trap door.

Darkwing snatched her up into his arms. "My little girl, I'm so proud of you."  
Gosalyn hugged him back.

* * *

What's it like to fly, DW?" Launchpad gazed at Darkwing.

"It's incredible, Launchpad. Although, I was ..." He stopped speaking. "I'm ..." He turned to the window. "Now I understand all these things that my head's been filled with. Sound maps, help you make flight plans. And ... and of course I want to chase things. It's the next best thing to actually flying." He sighed. "That spell gave me a taste of freedom, and it wasn't bad at all. It was fantastic!" He crowed. "Oh, I am going to find another excuse to do that again!"

"Well ..." Gosalyn hesitated her answer. "It is winter now, but it won't be for too long. And then, you know, it'll be summertime again. And ... then there's camping."

"Oh, I can't wait for summer." He winked at Gosalyn. "Morg, after Christmas, why don't we all go somewhere warm for a holiday?" He stepped up next to Launchpad, determined to argue despite having won by a landslide already. "Hey, Launchpad, we missed it last year because I came down with a cold. What do you think? Lots of sand, sun, and surf?"

"Heh, you're preaching to the choir, DW."  
"Morgana..." Darkwing's eyes rested on her face. "Starlight, a tropical summer night's breeze. Fresh and warm."

He turned away from them. "Peace and quiet. No aeroplanes, no helicopters, no search lights, no snipers."

* * *

"Dad ... that was a spell that did that ..."  
"Ha, but I've learnt something, haven't I? Malduck taught me, how to turn myself inside out. Outside out is no difference."  
"Why not tonight?" Morgana interrupted. "I've closed up till Friday. We can come back and have Christmas all fresh."

"And ..." Gosalyn added, "the risk of something to stop it from happening is a lot narrower."

* * *

_Moral/Overview: Don't let anything stop you from having a happy Christmas break either!_


End file.
